


Our First and Our Last Time

by destructiontoad



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, there is some swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 09:05:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8280377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/destructiontoad/pseuds/destructiontoad
Summary: ODDBALL FIC(Other character appearances are brief)(also there is no adult content but... all right)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Natsume's still a pretty new character, so likely I may be off with his characterization especially as more comes out about him.

" _March XX_

 _The five of us went to visit the old spot by the sea today. There, buried under the old knotted tree by the jagged rock where pigeons liked to dawdle, lies the dreams we laid to rest on that fateful day..._ "

            A slight shift in the air, barely noticeable to the average person. _A disturbance_. He looked up from the lightly weathered page and promptly snapped the book shut, his bangs fluttering upwards from the sheer force, accompanied by a suspicious narrowing of his eyes. Without skipping a beat, he whipped his head around, the uneven strands of his hair slapping him in the cheek they followed through. Sure enough, there was no surprise as to who was looming above him from behind. That dreadful bespectacled mop of a being. "Senpai," Natsume scoffed coldly, "what do you think you're DOING?"

            Tsumugi winced at the venom underlying Natsume's words. He rubbed the back of his head, as though in preparation for whatever storm was to come. Natsume had hit him in that ONE exact spot about 43 times since Switch had been formed, and Tsumugi did not necessarily want to encourage a 44th assault on his being.  
            Though, he probably deserved it, Tsumugi thought to himself. He'd made mistakes after all, and if it was going to help him get on better terms with Natsume, then he might as well endure it. "Now, now, Natsume-kun. I simply wanted to see what you were up to, since you don't like to tell me things yourself~...ow!"

Before Tsumugi could utter another word, Natsume had already swatted the thick hardcover book he had been holding in his hands at the crown of Tsumugi's head. "Were you trying to snoop into my DIARY? That's not very becoming of YOU, senpai."  
            Tsumugi was all prepared to protest against Natsume's accusations; but instead he found himself momentarily stunned by how unusually gentle that blow had been compared to the merciless level of strength Natsume normally used against him. By the time he could remark upon this observation however, Natsume had already manoeuvred his way around Tsumugi and had left him there looking puzzled.

 

Natsume strode down the hallway huffily. The last thing he needed was someone following him around, especially today, of all days. Once he felt that he’d strayed far enough, he slumped down onto the floor, leaning his back against the wall with a thud. True, he didn’t really _hate_ Tsumugi. And yet, it was difficult to just let go of everything that had occurred in the past. He was once an enemy, after all.

            He slowly closed his eyes, his mind drifting off to those very days. To say they were simpler, happier days, would be an blatant lie. In those times, Yumenosaki was a ruthless battlefield, brimming with chaos. The air was thick with strife and tension; anyone willing could have set a spark to the powder keg if they had the guts to do so. Yet every last one of those mindless drones simply followed the crowd, unable to think for themselves, pointing daggers on order at the "villains" if they dared wander too close.  
            But despite it all, all the pain they had endured, all the suffering they were subject to, there was a certain nostalgia; a longing that made him wish to return to the days when the five of them walked together. The days when they did not even need words to reach a mutual understanding. They lived in a separate realm, and tread on a path that ordinary people could not walk.

            The rose-tinted flood of memories was rudely interrupted by the sharp tug of reality. As one would have it, the incessant yapping of what sounded much like a unhappy mutt could be heard pouring out from the adjacent room to anyone who happened to be passing by.

 

“Aaaagghhrrrhhhh!!!! Hey, wake up, you shitty vampire bastard!!”

            Funny, had his feet taken him to the light music clubroom without him noticing? A result of his mindless reminiscing, perhaps, or the gravitational pull that the Oddballs had on each other. Natsume wasn't sure what he was doing himself; his hands began to move mechanically on their own, before he could command them to. He opened his diary, haphazardly ripped out a page, and furiously began to scrawl like his life depended on it.

            The door to the light music clubroom sat ajar, inviting in anyone who dared enter. "Heeeey, Adonis! What the hell is this?!" Koga spat, having tired himself out from multiple fruitless attempts to kick Rei’s coffin for some kind of response. Either Rei was a really heavy sleeper, or he was just _really good_ at ignoring Koga for his own convenience. Koga had a sneaking suspicion it was the latter. Adonis looked unfazed as usual, and simply replied, "Oh, this? Sakuma-senpai said it's for you."

"What kind of sick joke is that vampire bastard playin' at?! There’s no way I’d use something like this on Leon! Does he have some kinda problem with him?!"

“Ah, it’s not for your dog. He said it was for you to wear, because you made too much noise.”

“HAAAAAH????”

            There in Koga's hand was clearly, a dog muzzle. He looked ready to pick up the coffin that lay in front of him and throw it out the window.

            Natsume strolled in without much of a care. "Good night, is Rei-niisan AROUND?"

            Adonis turned, recognizing his fellow classmate. "Oh, Sakasaki. Did you need something?" Koga too found his attention straying from the muzzle towards the redhead he did not recognize. There was an odd metallic smell that clung to him, reminiscent of the science lab; Koga wasn't sure he was very fond of it.

"I was hoping Rei-niisan was PRESENT. But, if he's asleep, won't someone pass this note to him INSTEAD?"

            "Hey, who the hell are you?!" Koga interjected, “You know Sakuma-senpai? Sayin' “good night” and all while the sun’s still up, you’re not another vampire too, are you?”

            Natsume didn’t even glance in Koga’s direction as he plopped the neatly folded note into Adonis’s palm. "Oh, you must be the DOGGIE, yes? Why don't you make good use of that muzzle and stay QUIET? I'm sure Rei-niisan would appreciate not being DISTURBED."

“Wh...what did you say?!”

            The sound of Koga’s barking and the scuffling of his kicking feet faded into the distance as Natsume smoothly made his exit. He couldn’t help but smirk as Adonis held Koga back with little trouble, the irritated hothead yelling empty obscenities to nobody in particular. Rei had picked himself up a loyal pup, Natsume mused. Even if the duo somehow managed to lose his note, he had no doubt that Doggie would relay the message, for sure.

            Now that he had set things into motion, then, it was time for his next destination. He would not let this go half-finished.

 

* * *

 

"Oshi-saaaan! Someone's here to see ya!"

"Silence, Kagehira! I told you not to speak to me while I'm-"

            Shu was taken aback when he saw who had ducked in. While a chance meeting at school may have been inevitable, those were times he could choose to feign unfamiliarity. Situations where he could escape and he had no obligation to acknowledge anyone unless he wished to. He had not prepared for this, to be approached one-on-one in his sanctuary, not after everything that had happened-

            “Shu-niisan.” Natsume pat Shu’s shoulder twice in a gesture to get him to relax, but Shu seemed to stiffen in response instead.

            “Please. Please don’t touch me,” Shu exhaled, folding his arms carefully, not wanting to disturb the doll that sat delicately on one hand. He pressed two finger tips from his free hand into one side of his temples. “Why are you here, Natsume?”

            Natsume balled his fists, trying not to let a look of hurt betray him at the blunt question. He had been willing to state his intentions of course, but the distance that had grown between them smarted a little nonetheless.

“A-are you occupied, TONIGHT, Shu-niisan? I’d like you to come to the old spot in 3 HOURS. The one that Kanata-niisan chose for US.”

            Shu raised an eyebrow, and seemed to be deep in thought as he turned his head towards Mika.

“Oh, ya don’t hav'ta worry about me, oshi-san! I’ll sweep everythin’ up like always, ‘n make sure everythin’s put in its place…”

            “Tch! You always put the wrong needles in the wrong boxes, Kagehira. For the last time, that’s where the embroidery needles go, not the sharps! Ahhh! How frustrating! The thought of leaving this place to you in the evening when I know you’ll just mix everything up...” Shu cleared his throat, and propped up Mademoiselle so that she was sitting straight.

“Shu-kun still hasn’t made up his mind. Whether you’ll see him this evening or not will depend on how he feels about leaving Mika-chan alone by himself…”

            Natsume nodded. That was as good as a response as he would get from Shu. “Then, I'll be taking my LEAVE,” he said with a bow.

 

* * *

 

            Ah, the sickly, aching, warm embrace of the afternoon sun. Natsume couldn’t say he cared for it much; he'd much rather be spending time in the confines of the damp darkness of a labyrinth he had constructed for himself. The sun's harsh light tended to overexpose everything, obscuring the faults of the flawed and washing out the shadows that followed them. Perhaps his distaste was something he picked up from Rei-niisan? Well, no matter. That was not the problem at hand.

            Natsume sat at the fountain’s rim, tracing his finger in the shapes of pentagrams and runes in an effort to clear his mind. Here he was, trying not to give in to the fact that he had no idea where to check if the fountain did not have its usual resident floating there. Kanata had always been an enigma even amongst enigmas after all, and he’d have to check the entire campus to find him at this rate.  
            He needn’t have worried, though. A lively bustle of voices could be heard nearby, and they could not have belonged to anyone but THE most energetic unit of Yumenosaki.

“Now, Ryusei Green! Now’s the time!”

“ _H-Hisui Strike!_ Ahh, this is so embarrassing, if someone were to be watching, I could die…”

“That’s no good! More spirit! Look at how seriously Sengoku is taking this, ahahaha ☆”

“P-please do not rub my head so hard, Taichou-dono!”

“Osu! Seein’ you so fired up makes me wanna try harder, Sengoku! I wonder if Taishou would be impressed by my _Yami no Break!_ ”

 

            Nope, none of the voice he was hoping to hear. Natsume sighed and leaned back, when he heard a gurgling from behind.

            “Kanata-niisan!” Natsume yelled out excitedly before he even had a good look at who it could be. Had he been hidden from view under the fountain water’s surface all along? There’s no way he couldn’t have caught that though, was there?  
            “Puka puka… it is rare to be seeing Natsume around 'here'... did you come to see me?” Kanata’s unmistakably soothing drawl was enough to put Natsume at ease. Kanata's voice had always had a faraway, ethereal quality to it that could easily switch from oddly comforting to disconcertingly dangerous, and Natsume was glad to have caught Kanata on a good day.

“You’re not practicing with your UNIT?”

            Kanata shook his head slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. “Nope, Chiaki told me that I did a 'good job' and that he would take it from there… he pat my head and said I was a 'good boy' ♪. Natsume, would you like me to pat your 'head' as well?”

“Well… if it’s from Kanata-niisan, that’s fine and ALL, but that’s not what I came FOR. I was wondering if you’d come to the old spot SOON? In a few HOURS.”

"Hmm… the one near the 'convenience store', yes? It has been a long time… It will be nice to visit it again. ♪ There, there.”

            Natsume wordlessly bore with the sloshing of Kanata’s drenched sleeve plopping against his hair as Kanata pet his head. He might not have put up with it with anyone else, but his brothers in arms had special privileges, and Natsume was always happy to receive any gestures of affection from them.

 

* * *

_Clack, clack, clack._ He made his way into the back stage of the theater, his shoes making dramatic echoing stamps on the wooden floor. On a normal day of use, the theater was lively and boisterous, full of noise, shuffling, and various cries of both anguish, exasperation, and laughter. Specifically, the yelping of a certain first year, the creak of his immediate senior's patience being tested to its breaking point, and the insufferable goading of their masked captain that was difficult to ignore. Natsume had made sure to come at a time when the club should be active; he had overheard Hokuto describing their schedule to Subaru weeks ago, and had made note of it in that diary of his. He did _not_ want to catch Wataru when he was busy with his unit. Not while he was dancing in the grasp of Tenshou-

            He froze. He knew that voice. And it did not make him happy.

            That disarmingly gentle tone, the malice that laced his words that was indiscernible to the untrained ear; that dreadful voice leaked out from behind the curtain, rising and falling as if in conversation.

"I'm honoured you think so highly of my opinion, Wataru. Being able to see you rehearse from the front seats is truly a delight ♪."

            What the hell was that school council president doing here at this time?! Natsume didn't want to risk edging closer for a better look if it meant having to come face to face with _him_. He had no desire to be entertaining that demon right now, let alone having to look at his infuriating expression that he could barely hold himself back from punchi-

            Natsume jumped and let out an involuntary squeak as he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Turning a hundred and eighty degrees, not knowing what to expe-

 

"...W...Wataru-niisan?!" Natsume managed to splutter.

"Were you surprised? You were surprised, were you not? Ah, it’s been so long since I got to see that lovely expression on your face, Natsume-kun... to what honour do I have your visit?"

            Natsume coughed, trying to downplay his reaction, but he couldn’t hide the fluster in his voice. "But? Weren't you with... the Emperor just NOW?"

            "Fuhahaha! Of course, that was none other than your very own, Hibiki Wataru. ☆ I did an excellent job though, didn’t I? You truly thought I was the Emperor, did you not?" Wataru plucked a single yellow rose from his coat and offered it gracefully to Natsume.

            Natsume let out a huff and folded his arms defensively, refusing to take the rose from Wataru's hand. "That was awful of YOU, Wataru-niisan. There's a limit to TEASING, you know."

            Wataru  pulled out a half-filled (or was it half-empty?) glass vase from under a worn wooden table and set it on the top. He gently tossed the rose into the water. "Ah, but you've come to approach me with a request, have you not? I can tell you painstakingly went lengths to find me while I was not with Eichi. I had to test your resolve. After all, you must have a very good reason to visit this traitorous clown, no?" There was that gleam in Wataru’s eye that made it evident he was enjoying this too much. While Natsume had long aspired to be like Wataru, even he found it difficult sometimes to keep up with his mentor’s follies.

            “Wasn’t the rest of the theatre club supposed to be HERE?” Natsume stalled, unsure to proceed with his proposal to Wataru.

“While I’d be blessed to be basking in the company of my beloved juniors, it seems that poor Tomoya-kun has fallen ill, and Hokuto-kun said he was busy with Trickstar’s activities and asked for a pass… well, it’s fine, isn’t it? Because I got to see cute little Natsume-kun today…”  
            Natsume shifted on his feet. He didn’t _really_ care what the rest of the theatre club was up to. But now he was at a loss for words, now that he was in front of the last one he fervently looked up to. The one who had rejected his last request once previously, the one who had chosen not to let them carve out a different ending where they could’ve won the war...

            Sensing the unease, Wataru made a few deft movements with his hands, and in a couple snaps, he had a full kettle of tea in one hand and a cup and saucer in the other. He held out a filled cup to Natsume. This time, Natsume took it.

“I never did figure out how you did that ONE.”

            Wataru smiled, perhaps with a twinge of melancholy in his expression. “Ahh, Natsume-kun. There’s no need to follow in my footsteps. Some things are just never meant to be uncovered, perhaps?”  
Wataru placed the kettle on the table, next to the vase. “On the other hand, you look like you have something to say, so out with it, won’t you? I enjoy your company very much, but I do not want you to leave with any regrets?”

            Natsume took a sip and breathed out. “...Will you come to our old spot AGAIN? We’re meeting there in an HOUR. There’s something left I wanted to DO.”

“Why, is this an invitation? How exciting, I couldn't be more delighted! ...However, can I be sure that everyone else be happy to see me? Or perhaps I will be greeted with expressions of disgust? Aah, I suppose even such raw expressions of distaste are worth seeing in this lifetime… you have my word. I shall turn up, whether I’m welcomed with open arms or with arms pointed at my throat, fufu…”

            What Natsume wanted to do was to tell him it wasn’t like that, that none of the others held any animosity towards him... they had understood his reasons, as painful as they were. But, he had a feeling that Wataru was already aware of that under the facade. The only one that had been holding him back was himself.

 

* * *

 

            By the time Natsume arrived at the their spot, Rei and Shu were already there. It was a small beach sitting at the outskirts of town, not too far from the school. The lonely sea sprawled out in front of them, and fences and concrete lay behind the small stretch of sand they stood on. One had to be careful with the sharp cliffs that stood here. They were easy to climb, but even easier to injure yourself on. The evening air was cool and moist, but not in an unpleasant way.  
            Shu tapped his foot impatiently, and Rei waved languidly as Natsume approached. “Sakasaki-kun, what a pleasure to see you again.” Natsume beamed, and sent a casual wave back. At that moment, Kanata's head popped out from beneath the foamy green waves.  “The water here is very 'nice', you should all come in and try it.”

“ _Non_ , I shall turn down that invitation. I do not wish to needlessly dirty my clothes with such foolishness. Moreover, what did you from want from us, Natsume?”

“Well, there’s still one of us missing, isn’t there? Let’s let Sakasaki-kun explain after he’s arrived.”

            They waited there for another five minutes. Natsume paced back and forth, unable to help but feel that sinking sensation of doubt. What a cruel and ironic twist of fate; the one person who had explicitly promised to arrive had yet to do so.  
            But just as the cloud of uncertainty began to settle, they all turned their attention to the rustle of leaves coming from the large gnarly tree that had been battered into shape by the ocean winds over many long, hard, years of existence.

            There he was, landing elegantly onto a precarious-looking tree branch, making as grand an entrance as ever.

 “I have arrived magnificently! It is I, your Hibiki Wataru…☆”

            Shu of course, was first to address him. “You’re late. What took you so long?”  
            As if on cue, Natsume cleared his throat, hoping to quell any conflict before it began. “I’d like to thank you all for COMING. There was something I wanted to ADDRESS.”

            The third years looked expectantly at Natsume.

            “I don’t suppose any of you REMEMBER? One year ago, under this tree-” Natsume paused to give the tree a solid rap twice, the very tree that Wataru was now sitting on the branches of- “we buried something HERE.”  
            Rei scratched the back of his head. “Oh, are we here to dig for bones? Whole skeletons? I should have brought Doggie along…”  
            Wataru clapped his hands, and several shovels fell one by one from beneath his coat. “When you are in a bind, I am here to provide a hand. ♪"

            Though relieved, Natsume was a little perplexed. It seemed as though Wataru at least, had caught onto his intentions. He shook his head. Even without implements, he was ready to start digging with his hands if it came to that, however...

            Time slipped through their fingers as the sound of dirt being displaced did the talking for them. They took turns digging little by little. Kanata's hidden strength turned out to be a boon, making him the most efficient digger. "Have you been spending too much time watching the sea turtles? Or is it drowned corpses you've been burying?" joked Rei. In the end, even Shu, who had refused to take part in fear of staining his clothes, ended up helping out a couple times.  
            After about 20 minutes, Natsume's shovel bounced against something solid. He shoved his hands into the damp earth, prying it from its muddy grasp. He roughly dusted off his prize: a small wooden casket, its surface dirtied and aged from being packed into the compressed sand. With no hesitation, he opened it.

            Inside sat 5 sheets of paper, folded up in varying degrees of neatness, each with a signature written on the outer folds. Rei’s eyes lit up with familiarity. Shu was plain confused. “What is this?”

“The dreams we buried here before everything... before the CLIMAX. What we hoped to accomplish in a year's TIME. Do you really not REMEMBER, Shu-niisan?”

            Something stirred in Shu. A faint recollection, a sense of deja vu, as if they had stood here before on this very day of March. Only, things had been different, then. “I suppose I do recall something of that nature… but should we not just leave them as is? We buried them for a reason.”  
            “Well, what could be the harm? Let us take a look, why don’t we?” Rei ushered, taking his piece. The others followed suite, fumbling with the thin paper and their scrawlings in pen.

 "All right, one by one then, shall we read them out loud? I’ll start.”

Rei unfurled his note. “...To be a better brother.”

“To help Chiaki achieve his 'dream'..."

"To bring a joyous expression to everyone's faces no matter where I go... ☆"

"To see Nito's smile for myself."

"To surpass Teac- Wataru-niisan."

"..."

"Kukuku. It seems most of us were unable to meet our goals. Perhaps we were too ambitious..."

"The world is unpredictable after all, but isn't that what makes it so splendid? ♪ Life writes us the most wondrous script..."

" _Non_ , Tenshouin's schemes were all too obvious. It is the producer's arrival that nobody could have seen coming."

"We are all grateful that transfer student-san arrived... thanks to her, I can get away with spending more time in the 'water'..."

            The five of them sat there in varying positions that reflected their individual differences, but they all stared absently towards the water, eyes filled with the image of the sea rolling back and forth. Gradually, they began spouting reminiscences, weaving a tapestry of memories that they had not dared bring up again to each other before. Rei offered up a bag of Ritsu’s leftover sweets; they had been rejected by a local caterer due to their outlandish appearance. If they closed their eyes, there was absolutely nothing that could beat them in quality.

“There was that one time where I saw Itsuki-kun, Nito-kun, and Kagehira-kun selling tickets while laughing…”

“Performing with Wataru and Hajime was 'fun', I want to do it again ♪”

“You should have all come to see Natsume-kun’s debut with his unit! It was truly a banquet for the eyes, I was thoroughly impressed. Our dear Natsume-kun shows a lot of talent, I am sure that he will someday go far beyond what this Hibiki Wataru could do...”

            Their chatter lasted well for a few hours, coming and going with the rhythm of the night.

 

“You know… just once, just once, I wanted to perform with you ALL.”

“Well, there's nothing stopping us from doing it now.”

“Why, the outdoor’s as grand a stage as any, and the birds make the finest audience.”

"Then, our last time as Oddballs."

 

Rei, the oldest of them, the wisest, and a natural leader, started them off, his voice blending in with the soft breeze that caressed their faces.

" _I wanted to shine like the sparkling stars in that sky, the dream I've always wanted to grant by reaching that stage... ♪_ "

“Oh my, if this isn’t… one of Trickstar’s songs? I know it well from the DDD~” Wataru, the performer, always living for an audience, chimed in next.

“I can hum along~” Kanata jumped in, apparently having no trouble adjusting to the flow. It was just as he had been doing his whole life, getting swept up in the currents of others and offering his irreplaceable support.

“I can’t say I know it very well, but I do not back away from a challenge.” Shu the perfectionist, always striving to better himself, to transform the ordinary into the highest work of art.

“I've heard Baru-kun singing this to himself … I think I can keep UP.” Natsume, who was not done growing up, who had the potential to grow to even greater heights.

 

            The last few verses of the song were reaching their conclusion. Natsume could feel his eyes involuntarily welling up. Ahh, this wasn’t supposed to be happening. The tears started to dribble down his chin, hitting the piece of paper he still held firmly between his fingers.

“You’re an adult soon aren’t you? How vulgar, Natsume, to be putting your vulnerabilities on display like this!”

“Well, it’s fine, isn’t it? Cry your heart out, Sakasaki-kun, you never know when you’ll get another chance.”

“Indeed, there is nothing shameful about tears, as comedy and tragedy are one and the same in this pleasant dream which we know as 'life'!”

“Tears are like little pieces of the 'sea', you know? Crying is just another way for everything to return to the sea ♪”

 

            As their voices fell to a hush, they huddled side by side, watching the sun make its descent into its chambers. Rei pat Natsume on the shoulder. “We’re expecting great things from you, Sakasaki-kun. Our school, who nobody loves more than us, you'll help it heal, won't you?"

            The disc of light began to dip below the horizon. From a considerable distance away, one could hear the faint, dissonant chorus of voices from below. Some of them were louder than the others, some spoke quicker, some slower, and they were hardly in sync. But if you listened closely, you could just barely make out their words.

 

“For having us, for letting us meet in this lifetime, we thank you. It is now time to say goodbye. For the first time, and the last, we have all gathered here to perform. Here’s to us, Oddballs!”

**Author's Note:**

> The song they're singing is the [opening to Ensemble Stars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_73PdxtHqn8), by the way.  
> Thanks to a friend for giving me names for Ryuseitai's sentai moves!  
> Also, if the formatting is too awkward or if you have suggestions, let me know, I'm not sure how to go about this.


End file.
